Ocean Blue Photography and Design

Flowers running down the aisle at Brandon & Alexandra’s wedding.

Ryland is looking great, for his portraits!

The beautiful Emme is all smiles, for her portrait session.

A headshot, for Marx. He’s such a cutie!

What you can’t see in this photo is Jonathan & Emma’s wedding party, hooting and hollering, behind us.

Jonathan & Emma’s wedding.

Jonathan & Emma’s wedding party.

We love happy couples!
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We love how Evan and Daisy are so natural, in front of the camera!

Evan & Daisy, looking fantastic, for their engagement shoot at South Coast Botanic Garden.

Mitchell and his groomsmen.

Mitchell & Sabrina‘s wedding party.
Flowers:

Sabrina With her bridesmaids.
Flowers:
#209

Everyone knows that photographers like to shoot during “golden hour”, but have you heard about “blue hour”? We love shooting during blue hour too! Blue hour comes right after sunset, and is called “blue hour” because of the cool tones the sky transitions into. Since the sun has set at this point, the sky and lighting are extremely soft, and the atmosphere feels really quiet and peaceful. You can see the results in this photo from Mitchell & Sabrina engagement session.

We always strive to capture a nice classic “look at the camera and smile” photo for our clients, like we did here, for Mitchell & Sabrina’s engagement session. Fun Fact: Did you that smiling at the camera was not always the social norm? Think back to those old black and white western photos… Not a single smile can be seen. So, why did people start smiling in photos? It had a lot to do with Kodak’s advertising. Dating to as early as the 1890s, Kodak ads showed happy people using their cameras while doing fun things. Everyone was smiling in the ads, and people got the idea that that was what you were supposed to do when you were in a picture.

We love finding things to “shoot through” during our photoshoots. The technique of shooting through something or placing an object in front of your lens can instantly add some element of interest and dimension to a photograph. If you shoot through something that’s transparent or semi-transparent, you create interesting reflections, blurs or patterns on your subject, as demonstrated here in this photo from Mitchell & Sabrina engagement session.

Rome, Italy
On our second day in Rome, we had a ridiculously long day, with a crazy amount of walking. It started at sunrise, for photos of the Trevi Fountain. Then we explored the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill including the museums and special exhibits. Then we took an audio guided tour of the City of Water. (Look at my previous posts to see photos of everything mentioned up to this point.) Do you ever get F.O.M.O? (The fear of missing out.) It was at this point that we went on a wild adventure, all over the city, trying to see everything on our lists. Along the way, we saw some super cute streets and Circus Maximus (ancient Roman chariot-racing stadium). Our adventure then lead us to The Buco della Serratura (literally, “the lock’s keyhole”), which is considered one of the “secrets of Rome.” We waited for way too long in line, for our chance to take a look through the keyhole and see three different “countries”: Italy, the Vatican State, and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. (In this post, I’ve included that photo, as well as a composite that I made to show the actual door and keyhole.) It was at this point that we went on the search for a well reviewed galato place. After that much needed treat, we walked through the Trastervere neighborhood. Even though I put my camera away, at this point, our adventure didn’t end there. We walked all the way back to the Trevi district, for dinner, after missing the last hop-on-hop-off-bus (which we had purchased tickets for earlier that day and barely used). At this point, we were close to our hotel, but instead of calling it a day, we continued on to see the Spanish Steps. We still can’t believe that all of that (and more) happened in just one day!

Vicus Caprarius “the City of Water” Rome, Italy
Everyone knows the famous Trevi Fountain, but there are also underground passages that stretch beneath the Trevi district. The underground archaeological area of Vicus Caprarius (the City of Water) is an intricate maze of ancient vestiges, at a depth of more than 9 meters under the current road level, which extend over an area of around 3,767 square feet. This site was found during maintenance to the Trevi Fountain in 1999, because the Trevi Fountain and Vicus Caprarius both receive water from the same source; the Aqua Virgo. The Archaeological Authority of Rome then carried out excavations, which brought to light a building complex from the imperial age which was once a luxurious residence and a treasure trove of artifacts.

The Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
Our Colosseum tickets included entry to the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, the S.U.P.E.R. sites, and temporary exhibitions. For centuries the Forum was the center of day-to-day life in Rome: the site of triumphal processions and elections; the venue for public speeches, criminal trials and gladiatorial matches; and the nucleus of commercial affairs. Palatine Hill is considered the birthplace of Rome and it overlooks the Roman Forum. It was one of the most affluent areas in Ancient Rome and was a coveted address by the 1st century BC and throughout the Roman Empire, when Palatine Hill was home to Rome’s most prominent figures. Today, Palatine Hill offers some of Rome’s best ancient sites and is a must-see, especially for history enthusiasts.

The Roman Colosseum
The Colosseum is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built, and is still the largest standing amphitheatre in the world, despite its age. Construction began under emperor Vespasian in 72 AD & was completed in 80
AD, under his successor & heir, Titus. Further modifications were made during the reign of Domitian. The three emperors who were patrons of the work are known as the Flavian dynasty, and the amphitheatre was named the Flavian Amphitheatre by archaeologists for its association with their family name (Flavius). We purchased special tickets; THE WONDERS OF THE COLOSSEUM: FULL EXPERIENCE TICKET FOR VISITING THE UNDERGROUND AND THE ARENA WITH GUIDE. This exciting guided tour allowed us to discover the Arena and the Underground of the Colosseum! The underground is where the gladiators and animals were kept, between battles. It was so interesting to see this part of the Colosseum! Getting these tickets was difficult, but it was worth it. The Colosseum ticketing website releases tickets exactly one month before the entrance time. With the 9 hour time difference, this meant that I was trying to purchase our tickets in the middle of the night. They sell out so fast, the tickets kept popping up and then disappearing! Finally, in the wee hours of the morning, I was able to secure our tickets. This was on my personal must see list. I’m so beyond happy that it all worked out!

Charming Villages of Sierra Madre
For our day in Mazatlán, we book a shore excursion “Charming Villages of Sierra Madre with lunch”. The tour took us from historic Mazatlán to the Durango Highway, stopping at a brickyard where adobe bricks are handmade and fired, as they have been for several centuries. Next, we continued sightseeing through the mountains. Rising behind Mazatlán is the Sierra Madre range of mountains, which separates the coastal area of Mexico from the interior. The first of 3 charming villages that we visited was Malpica. Here we visited a bakery and had some delicious typical Mexican sweet bread that was baked in an adobe oven. Next, we went on to see how one of the villagers makes home made circular tiles. Then, our tour continued to the village of Concordia. Here we enjoyed some free time to wander around the streets lined with colorful houses. Copala was our final stop and where we got to enjoy our included lunch. Once a thriving Spanish gold and silver mining town, it dates back as far as 1565. Today, it is a ghost town, with only 80 residents.

PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO
Puerto Vallarta is a resort town on Mexico’s Pacific coast, in Jalisco state. We had a wonderful day there, with our friends. During our visit we got to explore El Malecón (a beachside promenade with contemporary sculptures), wander around charming Old Town Vallarta (home to souvenir stores, a colorful plaza, and the ornate Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe), take in some beautiful views of the ocean and of the city, learn about the tequila making process (plus some taste testing), and lounge on the beach.

We loved photographing Jonathan & Emma’s! They are such a sweet couple!

Jonathan & Emma’s wedding portraits.

Sneak peek from Jonathan & Emma’s wedding, yesterday.

We couldn’t be happier for these two!
& , you guys are the best!

Brandon & Alexandra’s beautiful wedding ceremony.

Sneak peek from Brandon & Alexandra’s wedding, yesterday.

Pompeii Archeological Site, Italy
Information that was displayed on our NCL stateroom tv: Pompeii was established in 600 B.C. and was slowly recovering from a major earthquake that rocked the city in February of A.D. 62. The shallow quake, originating beneath Mount Vesuvius, had caused major damage to the springs and piping that provided the city’s water. Reconstruction was being carried out on several temples and public buildings. Seneca, a historian, recorded that the quakes lasted for several days and also heavily damaged the town of Herculaneum and did minor damage to the city of Naples before subsiding. The major quake was followed by several minor shakes throughout the following years.

Sorrento, Italy
Sorrento is a coastal town in southwestern Italy, facing the Bay of Naples on the Sorrentine Peninsula. Perched atop cliffs that separate the town from its busy marinas, it’s known for panoramic water views. While visiting, we spent our time exploring the historic center, which has many narrow alleys, and Piazza Tasso, a lively town square with quaint cafes and mom-and-pop shops. Sorrento is the birthplace of Limoncello, so we made sure to get some, as a souvenir to bring home.